CB-CID probe sought into tampering of wills at Puducherry Registration Department

CB-CID to probe manipulation of wills in Puducherry: District Registrar's Office has demanded a detailed investigation into suspected tampering of documents at Sub-Registrar Office. Mismatch in particulars of 8 registered wills found. Dept. inquiries point to involvement of staff members. File seeking probe forwarded to SP, CB-CID. Sub-Registrars directed to examine documents of properties being registered. Process of collecting details of unapproved plots registered in last 5 yrs. underway.

The District Registrar’s Office has demanded a detailed probe by the CB-CID into the manipulation of certain registered will deeds at the Sub-Registrar Office in Oulgaret, Puducherry.

Following detection of a mismatch in the particulars pertaining to eight registered wills in Book-3 (a register to keep wills) and in the register that maintains thumb impressions of those who executed the documents, the District Registrar, with the approval of the Inspector-General of Police, has approached the CB-CID for a detailed investigation into the suspected tampering of documents.

The issue of tampering of documents first came to light during a review meeting conducted by M. Kandasamy, immediately after he took over as District Registrar in August.

According to government sources, a Sub-Registrar who attended the meeting flagged the fact that a few pages of a will available in the registries appeared to have been tampered with.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that Book- 3 has been tampered for manipulation of wills. Original wills were found to have been removed from the Book and fake deeds attached. There is a clear mismatch in the details given in the relevant registers. It is difficult to do such tampering without the knowledge of the staff at the office. Only a detailed probe can identify the culprits,” said a source.

Authoritative sources in the government told The Hindu, that a file seeking further action by the CB-CID was submitted by the District Registrar at the end of last month. Departmental inquiries have pointed towards the involvement of some staff members faking the documents.

“Certain departmental staff members might have indulged in the illegal activity at different stages. A detailed probe is necessary to to find out the details of documents registered using the forged wills. The file seeking an investigation has been forwarded to the Superintendent of Police, CB-CID,’’ said a senior official.